1.21.2013

I'll be the first to admit that my handmade garments tend to lean towards the drape-y and shapeless. It's kind of my thing. But even I had to give pause before making this Vogue8827 up. This was one of those patterns that when I saw the line drawings (it's allll about the line drawings, you guys!) I said to myself:

"Self, that would look really good on you."

"You know, Self, I think you're probably right - but don't I already have something like this in my closet?"

"Yes. Yes, you do. And you wear it all the damn time."

"You speak the truth. Hmmm but, Self, doesn't it kind of look like a bathrobe...?"

"Why yes, yes it does. And your point is....?"

"Ah! I see where you're going here, Self..."

And so the internal battle was won (or lost, depending on which side of myself you were on) and I bought the stinking pattern and made it - in all it's bathrobe-y goodness. I am, after all, the same gal that on a particularly dreary day likes to eye up my comforter and thinks, "You know, with a belt and the right pair of shoes and lipstick..."

So this is View B of V8827, made up in a size 6 (for reference, my measurements put me more in the size 12/14 range). I used a super soft and slinky mystery jersey that I bought at this place in Houston that I swear takes delight in driving me insane by not marking their fabric content. I'm pretty sure by the feel and smell of it (is it weird that I rely on my nose to tell me fabric content? Does anyone else do this? It's just that poly has such a distinctive odor to me...) that it's a rayon jersey, but it has a really beautiful sheen to it which makes it look and feel very elegant. Eh, who am I kidding? It's probably some crazy blend...It's only a two-way stretch which made it pretty stable to work with. I thought this would be ideal since this is a pattern for wovens or knits. But more on that later...

I made zero changes to this pattern while making it up. I guess I was relying on the fact that I was using jersey and the draping throughout the bodice to make up for any fitting issues I might encounter. And that worked out just fine, because I don't really notice any fitting issues! Oh, besides the uneven hem. Ignore that, please! I swear it changes every time I put it on. Sometimes it's straight, sometimes it's uneven - that's just the nature of a bathrobe/dress such as this!

I only have one complaint about this pattern, and it's that while they do recommend jerseys as a suitable fabric, the instructions are really for wovens. It calls for a lot of hand stitching, which I thought was a bit odd for a jersey and I was a bit reticent to do it, but I did because I couldn't really come up with any better ideas. So the yoke facing is attached at the yoke/upper back with slip stitches and I used a length of skinny black ribbon and a catch stitch to do the hem. I felt like this would work because the hem doesn't need to stretch at all, and really it makes for a much neater finish than I would usually get with a twin needle.

The place I had the biggest problem with the instructions was in setting the sleeves. Really, V8827? Do I really need to ease stitch my jersey?? Although I'm not really sure what I expected. Two sets of instructions? Pfff!!! Please, that's definitely asking too much from a big four pattern company!

I made this dress to wear to an opening at the gallery this past weekend (If you follow me on instagram you may have got a sneak peek!) I had originally thought I'd make it in black - you know, so it could be classic and versatile or something... But I don't really know what happened... Somewhere in the jersey aisle my plan went awry and I decided that a shocking fuchsia was really way more fun, and frankly just as versatile!

I'd also like to take a little moment to do a PSA for wrap dresses. No really! Hear me out! Ladies of the World, Wrap Dresses are Your Friend!! Real or faux, wrap dresses are magically figure flattering and yet curve revealing. They look effortlessly sexy, and yet you, quite literally, feel as if you're wearing a bathrobe. Their wrap ties visually create a waist if, ahem, like me, you happen to be lacking in that department, and they accentuate the hell out of my tiny waisted sisters! I know some women bemoan the potential for boob-spillage that can occur with wrap dresses, but to them I say "Lighten up! That's part of the wraps charm! What? You wanna buy your own drinks at the bar?!" Just kidding, I don't say that. But I do say that's one of the beautiful things about a stretchy jersey wrap dress. Conforms to the curves, and all that...

Okay. End PSA.

I hope you all have a beautiful week! I'll be taking it easy for awhile as I adjust to the little emotional let-down that always happens after finishing a big project. Lot's of tea and comfort food and catching up on bad TV and good books are in order. And of course blog reading. Lots and lots of blog reading!

And, yes, I took these photos because the flowers matched my dress. I'm easily amused...

You look like Carrie (from Homeland not the horror movie) in this post! I have no idea why. Perhaps it's the night out lipstick? I like it! Your version looks way better that the one on the pattern envelope-the colour really suits you. You might want to wear a half slip underneath to stop the front hem re-organising itself-that'll also give a better drape at the back. I see what you mean about the bathrobe thing and you could add something to the collar to fix that (some sort of trim or something) but it actually looks great to me.

Ooh I love it! I bought this pattern a while back and have been sitting on the fence about it. I wanted to make it up in a woven- maybe a rayon to get the drape effect. After seeing yours I'm going to pull the pattern out and give it a whirl.

Okay I am brain dead tonight, I just tried to comment 3 times but nothing posts, so to sum up my previous attempts 1. this dress looks awesome on you 2. saw it on the gram and loved it 3. your psa has convinced me to give my wrap dress another try on and 4. taking matchy matchy photos amuses me as well. Over and out!

I fucking love that colour. And your almost gothy matching lipstick. Also happy to see a lovely real life version of this pattern as you know how I loves it..... I think I'm gonna do the maxi version as SOON AS I AM NO LONGER LIVING IN BOXES.

Beautiful color, great dress and thanks for pointing this pattern out! I used to live in wrap dresses, but for some reason have stopped wearing them (maybe because I literally wore my favorite out!). I need to reconnect with that style again.

Sallie, you never cease to impress me... you look as absolutely gorgeous in this, as you do in your usually drapey glory, and the colour is FANTASTIC on you!! I have to say, the pattern images certainly wouldn't have sold me on this dress, but your pics definitely do - PROPS!!!

I welcome your PSA, as I too am lacking in the waist department, and I have a bunch of wrap dress patterns and their faux counterparts I can draw from so, YAY! ^__^

Wow wee, this colour is stunning on you lady! And the style looks incredible, despite always having reservations about wrap dresses! I can't believe you had to hand-sew jersey, big pat on the back for that ;o)

Yes! I already own this pattern. Plus it's a great breastfeeding dress. And you make me want to make it right away. You look amazing and I LOVE your lipstick. I've been wanting to try out some dark lipsticks but have been scared. I just got used to my bright corals and pinks! Any suggestions for shades? Thanks for the great inspiration as always. I love your style.

Oh my! Excelling yourself already Sal. Looks amazing on you and yeah I have to agree, you'd be hard pressed to find a woman out there who doesn't suit a wrap dress. Also, I love the little self talk, so vital to ask those important questions before one commits to a pattern.

Beautiful, beautiful color. And everyone wears black to art openings. I bet you stood out (in a fabulous way, of course)! I agree about wrap dresses. I'm making a maternity one right now-- and hoping I can get some sexy back with the gigantic belly I have at the moment.

Hey thanks, Kelli! It's always such a compliment coming from someone whose style I admire so much! re: the lipstick - I've loved wearing this in the colder months when I'm a bit pale. It's MAC "Hung up" and it's very creamy so if I'm not feeling so vampy (which is most of the time) I just dab it over some lip balm and it makes the prettiest sheer purple-y berry color! It's been a pretty versatile lipstick for me, and I think you would totally ROCK it!

Another beautiful creation sis! I adore this - and not just because I'm a huge supporter of the wrap dress! Great choice for the color and the jersey increases the lux and comfy quotient which I think is a win win. Love you and miss you! xoxo

stunning color and design! you're making me actually like wrap dresses which i'm normally not in to but this is so stylish and flattering! this reminds me of something a rich parisian would wear when walking into a lobby of a french riviera hotel, you know, with a chic handbag and jackie o sunglasses. ;)

Oh my word, I love this. The fuchsia is killer on you! Just the other day I was admiring a lady at the grocery store wearing her housecoat/robe/muumuu (which was far less attractive than this, but she had panache!) and conspiring to make something similar that I could still wear in public. This dress is exactly what I had in mind, and I didn't even know it. Amazing, as always!

Well they suggest using either a woven OR a jersey for this - but the instructions, and the pattern were clearly meant for a woven, which I didn't realize until later (like, when I was scratching my head and wondering how the f**k I'm going to ease the sleeve cap...) But it all turned out fine in the end! Luckily it's a nice and loose design so I wasn't TOO stressed about all my seams needing to stretch.

is it really boring if I leave the same comment every time? Your photographs are beautiful, the dress looks great and your observations about the instructions are a great reminder for anyone considering this pattern. I will say one thing though about the wrap dresses. I hate them. My "ah ha" moment came when I looked in the mirror and saw that my neck looked freakishly long - thanks to the deep V of the top. Now, to be fair, my neck is freakishly long, and like all self-obsessed narcissists, I assume that's all people see when they look at me. (Gawd that poor woman, she looks like a giraffe! must suck to be her!) ha ha just kidding ....You are gorgeous and your waist is wonderful.

Haha! You are too funny. That just goes to show that us self-obsessed narcissists are always thinking the grass is greener - I love the neck-lengthening of the deep-v - in fact it's my favorite neckline! Want to trade necks? Actually, scratch that, that sounds strangely horrific...

Sallie, this is beautiful and so womanly. I love that robe collar instead of the usual straight neckline. How does something so easy manage to look so sensual? The wrap dress secret. (Speaking of robes, I wear my bathrobe over my clothes most of the day when I'm at home. Ssshhh, don't tell--it's warm!) I have that Mac lipstick, too! One of my favorites in the winter.

Oh man, I totally thought I commented on this already... that's what I get for checking blogs on my phone! Shame on me! Anyways, YOWZA that's one saucy bathrobe! You're the only one who can describe something as lifeless, shapeless, bathrobe-y etc and then totally knock the look out of the park! Effortlessly I might ad. You're one slinky jersey clad vixen! ;) LOVING this color on you, too! Pshhhh. Classic black is boring. Pretty as a Peony, you are! And p.s. double-you tea eff to hand stitching and sleeve easing on jersey lol! But you're right, the line drawings are nice on that pattern haha